Sword Coast Rambling

Serak: Acutely aware that they are unlikely to find another buyer with this much coin on hand, Serak decides to get creative. He returns the icy stare with a look of indifference and says, "Who'd of thought that hardest part about adventuring would be selling the loot? I thought you simply attempting to swindle us, but perhaps you truly do not recognize the Three Eyes of Talazar? I'd have thought one as knowledgeable as yourself would recognize them straight away"

Hoping to wound the jeweler's pride, he gives a disapproving sneer at her apparent lack of knowledge. He continues, "Traded by King Arganon in the 1st Era as ransom for his kidnapped Queen. A heart wrenching tale of love and loss, battle and tragedy. A fine centerpiece of any collection and surely worth more than you are offering. "

The dwarven crone, silently glances up from her work, narrows her eyes briefly at Serak and then back to his treasures. A vein pulses in her temple, clearly processing the story before she lets out a short but distinctive chuckle. "Well but of course they are.... Forgive me my dear. Business is business after all."

She leans forward eagerly, pressing her full weight onto the glass display case built into the counter beneath her, "...Though..... they ARE showing signs of wear.... What..eh... What price would you accept?"

rak: Satisfied with the dwarf's reaction, Serak mulls over the transaction a moment, stroking his goatee and murmuring to himself. Finally, he says, "I understand, of course, that you most also make a profit, so... let's say, 400 gold for the lot. We'll accept no less for such valuables."

Serak: Smiling slyly while trying his best to disguise his disgust, the bard says, "Now, now... 400 and we'll even throw in the box for free. A nice round number to divide between four plucky adventures, wouldn't you agree?" Serak moves to shake the dwarfs' hand, stopping just short as he awaits her final agreement.

“Pssh!” Defeated the dwarf leaps from her lofty position. Disappearing behind the counter as she shuffled along, her mumbled voice gives away her position, “Bloody expensive for a tattered old box.... bah bloody half elf...”

With the familiar tingle of gold she reappears, four cloth bags in hand, “Fine. 400..... You’ve a good deal there sir. See to it that you keep it to yourself....” She turns back to her work, gathering her new purchases before storing them for safekeeping, “Don’t suppose you’re here for anything else?”

“I’m sure that will be fine today.” Arkhan pays the man. He will return to both taverns leaving the flowers with the first employee he finds at each establishment. Giving them instructions on who they are to go to. Each bouquet he attaches a note.

”Thank you for taking care of a lowly pirate. — Arkhan”

and within each envelope he slips in a gold piece each wrapped in cloth. He then returns to the market to meet up with his friends

Serak: Shaking the dwarf's hand as briefly as possible, Serak says, "A pleasure doing business with you, m'lady. That will be all, for now. Good day to you." The bard leaves the store with the others, a satisfied smile on his face.

Dividing the gold between his allies, Serak answers, "Oh, Syna... "lies" is such an ugly word. I prefer "creative bargaining." A shrewd old dwarf like that requires a good story to tell their customers, and I am glad to provide it. Shall we visit the Smith next, then?" The bard begins to meander in that direction.

A few doors down, the smithy lies empty. The forge still burning merrily. Laughter booms down the street, the smith, a corpulent ginger bearded dwarf stands in the middle of the busy street, the crowds flowing harmlessly around his stomach. He yells out as Serak saunters over, “HAHA. Don’t tell me you dealt with that witch!” He slaps his thigh with a huge calloused hand, “You tourists! Hoho! Come ‘ere I’ve got plenty you can spend that HARDLY earned money on!”

The dwarf thrusts a thumb towards his shop, gesturing them to follow him. Inside the walls are covered with a wide array of weapons and armour, “Adventurers, I take it? You’ll need good Neverwinter iron then?”

Syna eyes the dwarf, "We have no need of iron, good smith. We have brought our own materials, something of such quality that only the best may touch and only the greatest may work with. We seek only the best smith in the land. It is said among the wise that a great craftsman is not boastful, for the quality of is goods and his reputation speak louder than an a sea of drunken dwarves," finishes with a note of challenge in his voice.

“Hmm,” The dwarf eyes up Syna before shrugging his shoulders, “Well, alright lad you’ve perked my interest. If it’s weapons or armour you’ll find no finer smith this side of the Sword Mountains I can assure you if that! Ruriks the name! Take a glance at my craft....” He waves his arm, showing off the array of iron and steel hanging from his walls, “What is it you’ve got then? Arudite? Mithril? .... Mithrildite? Nothing I cant work into something I’m sure!”

Syna walks the walls taking in the detail of the work. They appear fine enough, armour is, after all, armour. Rurik is surely a skilled craftsman, and he must admit, his enthusiasm is infectious.

Syna looks around the shop, then leans down to the dwarf and whispers. Those are weighty ores, and many a Dwarf would seem the pinicle. But I speak of something which cannot be worked by fire and strength alone. It requires will and magic to wrest the strngths and purge the weaknesses given by life itself. And create a thing of strength and beauty which will last the lives of a hundred of my Kin. Do you know of what I speak?

Serak: Suddenly wary of dwarves, Serak listens quietly as he wonders if he really was just swindled after all. Glad to find this dwarf a bit more agreeable than the last, Serak smiles warmly and interrupts, "Serak The Skald, at your service, sir! What my friend is saying is that we come to the best Smith in all of Neverwinter in hopes of commissioning a suit of fine Dragon Scale Armor." The bard moves in close to reveal one of the dark green scales to the blacksmith.

Patting the gruff dwarf on the shoulder, the bard says, "I'm sure one such as yourself would love nothing more than to work such a rare material, yes? Our party slayed the great beast not two days past, during our quest to rescue one of your kinfolk, Gundren Rockseeker. Might you be able to help us?"

I imagine Dragon Scale costs a little more, but regular Scale Mail costs 50gp, so it would cost 25gp(Plus Dwarf's labor cost) to craft and take 20 hours of work. Assuming he has helpers and apprentices, each one would reduce the time by half.

If we pay him extra, maybe we can get them to work all night to have it ready by tomorrow?